Bottle carrier



Oct. 3, 1950 COLE 2,524,517

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed May 1, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

g /QTHUR E. COLE m 4am I AM A TTORNEYJ A. E. COLE BOTTLE CARRIER Oct. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1948 INVENTOR. FIRTHUR E COLE 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 3, 1950 BOTTLE CARRIER Arthur E. Cole, West Haven, Conn., assignor to National Folding Box Company, Inc., New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application May 1, 1948, Serial No. 24,532

This invention relates to improvements in bottle carriers.

Bottle carriers usually serve a multiple purpose. They provide a convenient, usually disposable, container in which a certain number of bottles, usually six, may be conveniently carried by the consumer. They further form subdivisions or partitions in larger shipping cases for protecting the bottles against damage during the shipment from the bottling plant to the retailer.

The invention provides an improved ibottle carrier of the character mentioned which may be manufactured from a single blank of foldable board, vsuch as cardboard, paperboard or other appropriate foldable material. 7

The bottle carrier embodying the present invention may be assembled on automatic machines of simple construction and is so constructed that it may be used as a display device for the display of all the bottles to the customer's view, without previous removal of the bottles from. or rearrangement of the bottles, in, the carrier. 7

The bottle carrier embodying the features of the present invention is set up from a flat blank. The blank, cut, scored and assembled, is furnished by the box manufacturer to the bottler for ready expansion into carrier form. The carrier is recollapsible after use so that it may be stored away conveniently by the consumer after the bottles are removed and be re-used for returning bottles to the store.

These and various other features, objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows, accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustration, preferred embodiments of the invention.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of this invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of it in which r Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flat cut, scored and stripped blank from which a bottle carrier embodying'the present invention may be made;

Fig.2 is a plan-view of the blank of Fig. 1 after a first folding and gluing operation;

3 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank of Figs. 1 and 2 after a further folding operation resulting in a fiat collapsed carrier;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the carrier of Fig. 3 in expanded condition ready for filling; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier opened up to serve as a display device.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying, and forming part of the specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for the purpose of explanation of broader aspects of the invention, but it is understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the principles of the invention, and that the invention may be applied to other structures than the ones shown.

The blank A shown in Fig. 1 may be scored and out in multiple from a large sheet or roll of paperboard or other suitable foldable material on an automatic cutting and scoring machine. Only one side of the blank need be finished or imprinted, since only one side of the blank appears as the outside surface of the assembled carrier.

The blank A is of substantially rectangular shape and comprises a, pair of center panels II and I2, hingedly connected along a center line l3. A pair of top panels I4 and I5 is hingedly connected to the center panels along inner top fold lines it and ii. The two outer side panels i8 and ill are hingedly connected to the top panels l4 and I5 along outer top fold lines 20 and 2|, respectively. Bottom panels 22 and 23 are hingedly connected to the outer side wall panels I8 and I9 along outer bottom fold lines 24 and 25. A pair of inner side panels ,26 and 21 is hingedly connected to the bottom panels 22 and 23 along inner bottom fold lines 28 and 29 respectively. An additional pair of fold lines 30 and 3| may be provided across the bottom panels 22 and 23 to enable recollapsing of the completed carrier, as will appear from a consideration of the structure of the set-up container hereinafter described. The fold lines subdividing the blank into the several panels are substantially parallel. i

1 The blank A is cut in line with the center line it at 32, 33, 34 and 35 to sever the panels lying a 3 to either side of the cuts. The blank is scored along the remaining portions 36 and 31 of the center line for folding of the two halves of the blank in a manner hereinafter described in greater detail.

The center panels II and I2 are provided with handle apertures 38 and 39 near their top edges. The aperture 38 is preferably cut and stripped whereas the aperture 39 is formed by a c-shaped cut 40 forming a flap 4| hinged to the remainder of the panel I2 along a fold line 42. The flap 4| is adapted to be threaded through the aperture 38 for the purpose of locking the halva of the blank together as will later appear.

The handle portions of the top panels may be separated from the remainder of the top panels by handle fold lines 43 and 44 to permit folding of the handle portions into horizontal positions for the purpose of reducing the height of the carrier when inserted into a shipping case.

The top panels l4 and I have bottle receiving apertures 45, 46 and 41 and 48, 49 and 5|| therein.

These apertures are preferably so formed as to leave defiectable flaps or webs on either side of the central apertures 46 and 49. In the illustrated form of blank the flaps or webs 5|, 52, 53 and 54 are of substantially identical shape and are foldably connected with the remainder of the panels along the fold lines 55, 56, 51 and 58 in panel I4 and fold lines 59, 60, GI and 62 in panel l5.

The assembly of the blank A into carrier form may proceed as follows:

Adhesive a is first applied to a marginal portion of the inner side panels 26 and 21 and the blank is then folded at the score lines 30 and 3| to bring the inner side wall panels 26 and 21 into face-to-face position with the center panels II and I2. A glue seam is thus formed between the inner side panels 26 and 21 and the center panels I I and I2 above the inner top fold lines l6 and I1. The gluing and folding operation may be performed on a conventional straight line folding box gluing machine. The resulting folded blank A is shown in Figure 2.

The blank A may then be folded at the scored portions 36 and 31 of the center line |3 to bring the two halves of the blank into face-to-face position as shown in Figure 3. The two halves of the carrier may be locked together by threading the flap 4| through the handle aperture 38 whereby, in addition, a reinforced triple ply handle portion 63 is formed for convenient carrying or handling of the bottle carrier by the dealer and consumer.

The collapsed flat carrier A" may be stored and shipped in collapsed condition and requires a minimum of space. It may be expanded for filling with'bottles by resting the collapsed carrier on a, table or other supporting surface at the fold lines 30 and 3| and pressing downwardly. This causes the lower portion of the carrier. to open up until the two bottom panels 22 and 23 lie substantially fiat. The stock folds at the outer bottom fold lines 24 and 25, whereas it flattens out at the auxiliary fold lines 30 and 3| at which it was previously folded. The opened carrier A' is shown in Fig. 4.

As bottles are inserted into the carrier, the flaps or webs 5|, 52, 53 and 54 are automatically deflected at their respective fold lines 55, 56, 51, 58, 59. 60, BI and 62. In deflected position, the flaps or webs form separators between the bottles preventing glass-to-glass contact and protecting the bottles against damage during shipment.

After the bottles are removed from the carrier, the carrier may be recollapsed. In recollapsing the top panels l4 and I5 move face-to-face with the inner side wall panels 26 and 21 and the bottom panels 22 and 23 are creased at the auxiliary fold lines 30 and 3| so that the larger portion of the bottom panel lies face-to-face with the outer side wall panels I8 and I9, respectively.

The tops of the bottles in the carrier extend to or slightly below the handle fold lines 43 and 44. For the purpose of shipment, the handle portion of the carrier may be folded into substantially horizontal position about the handle fold lines 33 and 34 to reduce the total height of the carrier.

For display purposes, the carrier may be pened up as shown in Fig. 5 after unlocking of the two halves at the handle flap 4|. In open position, the carrier furnishes an attractive display device for the display of the bottles to the customer. It will be noted that only one side of the board, the finished and printed side, is exposed to view, whereas the reverse side is not visible. Various displa arrangements may be formed with the carrier since the angle at which the two halves of the carrier may be arranged is variable. The carrier may readily be converted from display form into carrier form by folding the two halves into face-to-face position and locking the halves together by means of thev handle flap 4|.

The invention thus provides an improved bottle carrier which is inexpensive to produce, sturdy of construction and which offers numerous advantages over existing forms of carriers.

A particular advantage of the novel form of carrier is its strength which is mainly attributable to the fact that the weight of the bottles is carried by two outer and two inner walls.

Besides simplifying the assembly, the present blank also provides greater strength for the bottom. Securing of the inner side walls to the center panels at points above the top panels makes the carrier particularly strong and resistant to moisture, whereas prior constructions involving gluing operations near the bottom panels frequently lead to failure of the carrier when the carrier is kept on a damp floor, as frequently occurs.

The double ply structure of the central panel, free from fold lines, makes the carrier rigid and prevents distortion or unbalance even in case some of the bottles are removed from the carrier.

The sloping top panels of the carrier not only enhance the appearance of the carrier, but add to its rigidity and prevent sagging of the bottom panels under the load of the bottles. In the assembled carrier, the sloping top panels together with the outer side wall panels act as braces and support for the outer edges of the bottom panels which thus remain in horizontal position. A further advantage afforded by the sloping top panels is that the carrier, after removal of the bottles, will remain in erected position and resist collapsing, thus facilitating reinsertion of empty bottles for return to the store or dealer or refilling at the bottling plant.

The flaps 55, 56, 51 and 5B in the top panels l4 and I5 fold automatically into bottle separating position when the bottles are being inserted into the carrier. v

The present carrier blank is not restricted in its use to the particular sequence of steps of assembly heretofore described, but the blank lends itself admirably to a method of automatically setting up and loading the carrier with bottles.

That method briefly involves combining bottles with the blank which is thereafter completed into carrier form.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiments herein shown and described, nor is it necessary that all the features of the invention be employed conjointly since they may be used in various combinations or sub-combinations. Numerous modifications, additions, omissions, substitutions and other changes may be made in the structure and in its application. Thus for example staples or other securing means may be substituted for the adhesive in order to secure the inner side panels to the center panels. These and other changes will readily occur to persons skilled in the art and do not involve a departure from the spirit and the teachings of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle carrier and display device comprising, a central substantially vertical member of at least double ply thickness, the plies of said member being hingedly connected along a side edge; a pair of downwardly diverging top panels extending from, and integral with, the upper portion of said vertical member, said top panels having bottle receiving apertures therein; a pair of outer side wall panels extending from, and integral with, said top panels; a pair of bottom panels inwardly extending from, and integral with, the outer side wall panels, said bottom panels being integral with, and hinged to, said vertical member along its bottom edge, the lower portion of the vertical member forming a double ply central partition between said outer side walls, the two plies of said lower portion being also hingedly'interconnected along a side edge,

the plies of said lower portion extending with their upper ends between the two plies of the upper portion and being secured thereto at points above said top panels; and handle means associated with the said upper portion of said vertical 6 side of a center line extending at right angles to said scored lines and forming aside edge in the set up carrier, the blank having a slit in line with the center line, the slit separating the sec ond, third and fourth panels of the two groups leaving the remainder of the center line uncut to permit folding of the blank along the uncut portion, the first panels having handle apertures therein, the second panels having bottle receiving apertures therein, the fifth panels being longer than the third panels, length being measured from fold line to fold,1ine, or edge, respectively.

3. A blank for bottle carriers consisting of a substantially rectangular sheet of foldable board scored along parallel lines to provide ten panels arranged in two groups of five hingedly interconnected panels, said two groups lying to either side of a center line extending at right angles to said scored lines and forming a side edge in the set up carrier, the blank being cut in line with the center line-to separate the two second, the two third, and the two fourth panels from each other, leaving the remainder of the center line uncut to permit folding of the blank along the uncut portion, the second panels of each group having bottle receiving apertures therein, both fifth panels beinglonger than the third panels and adhesively secured to the first panels, length being measured from crease forming fold line to crease forming fold line, or edge, respectively, each of the fourth panels having an auxiliary fold line running thereacross about which the blank is folded back upon itself to provide a collapsed flat structure in which the first, second and third panels lie flat against the fifth and a portion of the fourth panel, the collapsed flat structure being expan- The following references. are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1,158,916 Goldsmith Nov. 2,1915 2,371,312 Potter Mar. 13, 1945 Date 

